CHICAGO – As the lead sponsor of Illinois legislation intended to protect immigrant workers, State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes (D-Chicago) released the following statement following a judge’s dismissal of attempts from the federal administration to overturn this law, marking a massive win for Illinois immigrant advocates:

“This law helps ensure immigrant workers are not unfairly punished because they struggled to accurately complete the confusing, bureaucratic E-Verify paperwork, which is most commonly not in their first language. I fought for this legislation so immigrant workers would be afforded more grace and time to correct any errors, not lose their livelihood due to innocent mistakes. I am grateful the legal system has recognized the validity of this legislation, and has stood against the federal administration’s brazen attempts to steamroll states’ policies in an attempt to dehumanize our immigrant neighbors.

“As both a former union representative and a son of a hard-working immigrant mother, this issue is close to my heart in more ways than one. I have seen how immigrant workers have been taken advantage of through low wages, unsafe conditions and immediate retaliation when their E-Verify documentation show discrepancies to their employer. I am pleased the federal courts recognize these efforts to be a reflection of our constitutional commitment to liberty and justice for all.”